This invention relates to a rudder for a watercraft a more particularly to a selectively operable steering rudder for a jet propelled watercraft.
The advantages of jet propulsion unit for watercraft are well acknowledged. Such jet propulsion units permit the watercraft to be employed in a very shallow body of water and have a number of other advantages. Normally, one way in which jet propelled watercraft are steered is by employing a pivotally supported steering nozzle at the discharge end of the jet propulsion unit which is steered so as to effect turning of the watercraft. This type of steering arrangement is extremely effective during most normal watercraft operation. However, when the watercraft is traveling at a relatively slow speed or when coasting, the operation of the steering nozzle may not provide sufficient force for effecting the desired steering of the watercraft.
If a conventional steering rudder is employed in conjunction with jet propelled watercraft, the steering rudder can offset some of the advantages of a jet propulsion unit. That is, the steering rudder must be submerged in the body of water in which the watercraft is operating in order to effect steering operation. However, when the steering rudder is so submerged, it can be subject to damage. Since jet propelled watercraft have the advantage of being operable in very shallow bodies of water, the use of a steering rudder will obviate this advantage. In addition, the rudder could be damaged when beaching the watercraft.
It is, therefore, a principal object to this invention to provide an improved steering arrangement for a jet propelled watercraft.
When a steering rudder is employed, in addition to the aforenoted difficulties, the steering rudder also provides unnecessary drag during high speed operation. During this high speed operation, the steering thrust of the discharge steering nozzle is more than adequate to provide the desired steering effect and, therefore, the steering rudder is in fact unnecessary and undesirable.
It is a further object to this invention to provide a steering rudder arrangement for a jet propelled watercraft that employs a conventional steering nozzle and in which the rudder may pivot upwardly to avoid damage if underwater objects are struck and which may also be selectively pivoted out of the water when traveling at high speeds and when the operation of the steering rudder is not required.